TAA claimant valued employee in Sparta office

Staff readying computer move to new building

Chattanooga interviewer new residential mayor at Fort Hamilton

As Fort Hamilton’s new residential mayor, Cassandra Smith says she’s in a key position between families and the command group of the installation, helping people who live on the post resolve problems with living arrangements and making sure residential managers are attentive to those living in their sections. The Fort Hamilton installation provides service and support to the Army National Guard and the United States Army Reserve in the New York metropolitan area.

“Her top priorities are making sure people live in a safe, secure, and wholesome environment and providing as much information as possible to the residents of Fort Hamilton housing,” said Steve Davis of the Fort Hamilton Public Affairs Office.

Cassandra, an interviewer in the Tennessee Career Center at Chattanooga for seven years, is currently deployed in Operation Enduring Freedom. An Army reservist, she will have been on active duty for four years in December and has 16 years total active and reserve service with the U.S. Army.

“I’m looking forward to coming back to the department,” Cassandra said. “My scope of work here is totally different. In the reserves I’m a dental assistant, patient administrator, and medic, now with the U.S. Army Medical Support Unit in Brooklyn.”

Cassandra, who has three daughters and a grandson, said her mother is there with her currently to help with family care of two of the children who are with her at Fort Hamilton. Cassandra will be going to Texas for training soon.

Following this last Memorial Day we are reminded of the loyal and courageous service of our men and women in the military service. We salute and thank Cassandra and all others who protect and defend us, now and in years past.

Joan Dowlen
Administrative Services Assistant, Central Office, 34 years with the department – all in Procurement

“I started out as a typist making $350 a month. I thought I was rich.”

What do you eat for lunch every day? 
It is a toss-up: leftovers or something from Farmer’s Market.

What's usually your “water-cooler chat”? 
My sons, my grandson and current events  

What's your favorite vacation spot? 
Lake Barkley State Resort Park in Cadiz, KY – we go there at least once each year.

Name something you can’t go a day without.  
Coffee, strong and robust!

What would we be surprised to know about you? 
I love to sing – alto in acapella.  I told Cindy Key we needed to start a singing group and call ourselves Ladies In Labor….

What are your personal interests/activities outside of work?  
Church, reading, flower and vegetable gardening, cooking

What do you do in your job to support the department’s Mission Statement?
I hope I communicate well.  When you understand something, you can be more thorough and do a better job.  I take my lifetime membership in IAWP very seriously. We train, educate, and promote teamwork through all our newsletters, community services, awards, and conferences.  Not only has it helped me to grow personally and professionally, I believe that has helped me better serve this department.  

Why do you think it’s important to work as a team? 
When everyone works together, you can accomplish so much more.   Information needs to be shared.

How do frontline employees in your division practice teamwork?  
Following purchasing procedures, we all strive to obtain the best quality products in a timely manner in order for the agency to function with the resources they need.   If we were lax in that, our customers could not be served well.  

TDLWD oversees tram car switch

TDLWD’s elevator inspectors were part of a milestone activity that took place this year during the time that annual preventative maintenance is scheduled for the Ober Gatlinburg Aerial Tramway. During the last week of April and the first week of May, after 34 years service, the original cable cars of the tramway were replaced with two new cars and carrier arms, made of a high-grade aluminum alloy that is the same used in the aerospace industry.

Assistant chief inspector for east Tennessee Bobby Collins supervised the installation and testing of the new cars; Ron Sidler, the department’s chief elevator inspector, was also on hand. They, along with the project engineer from Garaventa in Switzerland and a technician from Frey AG in Switzerland, took part in the load test performed before the tram could re-open to the public. The new cars were designed, engineered, and constructed by CWA Constructions in Olten, Switzerland, the largest manufacturer of ropeway cabins and gondolas in the world.

The capacity and dimensions of the new cars are the same, allowing Ober Gatlinburg to use existing loading docks and towers, although the new trams offer 15 percent more glass viewing area.

The Ober Gatlinburg ski resort opened in 1962. The Aerial Tramway began operation in 1973 and underwent a major upgrade in 2001. Installation of the new cars, a $1 million project, is the second phase of the upgrade.

“This is one of the most sophisticated cable cars systems in the world,” said Tramway Superintendent Danny Dixon, who has more than 31 years of service with Ober Gatlinburg. “We are proud that Ober Gatlinburg continues to offer this unique form of transportation for visitors to the area to view the Smokies and the City of Gatlinburg.”

Nashville Career Center moves to Metro Center

The Tennessee Career Center at Metro Center has a new home at a location that has more area for the Career Center and updated furnishings and equipment. 

Currently TDLWD staff, WIA staff, and the Food Stamp program are housed in the new center.  The Resource Room has more space for computers, work tops for laptop computers, phones for calling employers, fax machines for sending résumés, phones for direct calls to the UI Call Center, and a library of periodicals, books, and other media for career development.  TDLWD does not have staff left at the NCAC offices. The old location on Mainstream Drive is strictly the main offices of NCAC. Some services are offered there, but it is no longer a “Career Center.”

The new location is on a bus line with a stop at the entrance to Fountain Square off Athens Way that is directly in front of the Career Center.  There is

The address for the Tennessee Career Center at Metro Center is 2200 Metro Center Blvd., Nashville, TN 37228; telephone: 615.253.8920/FAX: 615.532.2763; office hours are 8:00 AM – 4:30 PM, Monday – Friday.

Employment poster alert

Tennessee Attorney General Bob Cooper recently reached an agreement with a company alleged to have sold labor law posters to be displayed in the workplace – posters that are available free from federal and state government and can be downloaded from this department’s Web site at www.tn.gov/labor-wfd. The department charges no fee for providing these required posters.

The company named in the agreement, Mandatory Poster Agency, Inc., is headquartered in Michigan, but did business in Tennessee as the Tennessee Labor Law Poster Service and the Tennessee Mandatory Poster Agency. The Attorney General’s office alleged that solicitations by the company were deceptive because they appeared to be from a governmental agency and also appeared to be from a business located in Tennessee with “an official-looking” seal. Both the federal and state governments do not send notices regarding posters. And they rarely expire or go out of date unless there is a law change.
           
If you get questions from employers who have received misleading notices in the mail advising them to update employment posters that they are required by law to post, advise them that the posters are available free from the department’s Web site and let them know that they may contact the Division of Consumer Affairs at 800.342.8385 (toll-free inside Tennessee) or 615.741.4737 to report the company that is deceptively selling the posters.

Regulations & Compliance
As announced last month, chief elevator inspector John Straub is retiring effective May 31.  Ron Sidler is the new chief elevator inspector. We wish the best to both. Mildred Brown also retired effective May 10.  She worked in administrative support for the boiler division.  Also in the boiler division, Cicely Sherrod was hired in administrative support.

The Mine Rescue Team just finished a grueling drill on May 4 in preparation for the 3rd International Mine Rescue Conference to be held in Nashville. The first two conferences were held in South Africa and Sydney Australia. Special thanks to the mine rescue team and of trainers Oscar Frederick, Gary Tackett, and James Strunk.

Santiago Rodriguez spoke at the Lebanon Human Resource Association meeting on May 15 regarding wage and child labor laws.

The National Board of Boiler & Pressure Vessel Inspectors held its annual conference in Grapevine, Texas the week of May 14.  The Tennesee Boiler Division was represented by Gary Cookston, Bob Harrison, Eslie Rogers, and Martin Toth.  Martin currently sits on the Board of Trustees.  Don Tanner, former chief boiler inspector of the Tennessee Department of Labor, serves as the executive director for the National Board.

Adult Education Program Serves Country Music Star
GED graduates in Wilson County received a surprise during their recent graduation ceremony.  Country music star Gretchen Wilson addressed the graduating class as a future GED graduate herself.   She is enrolled in the Wilson County AE program in pursuit of finishing an education that ended after eighth grade. A two-page article in the May 28 edition of People magazine highlights her experience going back to school as a 33-year-old mother. She is currently studying both at the Wilson County AE Learning Center and while she is one the road and plans to take the GED exam at the end of her summer tour.

One of her biggest motivations is to be able to help her six-year-old daughter with homework.  Wilson scored extremely high on the English and Reading sections of the screening test, but knows she needs to work on math.  According to the People magazine article, Wilson states, “I’d look at ‘2rx plus d divided by c equals what?’ and I didn’t have the first clue.”  She also had no clue that there are 1.2 million individuals in Tennessee without a high school diploma, according to Bernadine Nelson, supervisor of the Wilson County AE program. “Gretchen will be a major motivating factor for many individuals across the state who also lack a diploma,” said Nelson.  “She is setting an outstanding example to others in my program and across the state that it’s never too late to finish and that earning a GED diploma is an honorable and worthwhile endeavor.”

Workers’ Compensation
The Workers’ Compensation Division has a link on our Website at http://www.state.tn.us/labor-wfd/wcomp.html under “Quick Links” at the bottom of the page called “Coverage Verification Service.” That is a direct link to the Coverage Verification Service, which is a site that allows a search for workers' compensation coverage.  This link is available to the public. So, now an attorney, carrier, claimant, etc., can research coverage for an employer. This site is a link to the National Council of Compensation Insurance's coverage database. 

Information provided from this database is a representative reflection of selected information maintained by the Workers’ Compensation Division and is used for specific workers’ compensation coverage verification. There may be discrepancies in information provided due to causes outside the control of the Workers' Compensation Division such as reporting/recording delays or inaccuracies. Information on self-insured employers is not included in this database at this time.

In order to search for coverage information, you are required to enter a specific date that the coverage is needed, such as the date of injury. All coverage information retrieved by this search will be active for the date entered.  Policies that are canceled or expired will not be retrieved.

It will return a list of policy numbers and employer names. You may click on a policy number to retrieve the name of the insurance carrier and the locations covered under that policy. It will not return the policy effective or expiration dates or return a cancellation and reinstatement history for this policy.

Employment Security
Trade Act programs were established in 1974 to provide aid to workers who lose their jobs or whose hours of work and wages are reduced as a result of increased imports. These programs have increasingly grown in scope and volume over the years. Tennessee was recently recognized by the USDOL Regional Office as a Best Practice state for our performance and service to Trade Act eligible claimants.

Our success can be attributed to the excellent staff in our Central Office and the hard work and knowledge of our Career Center employees. Statewide training in Trade Programs was held May 22nd through May 24th in Nashville to insure continuous improvement in performance and program knowledge. Melinda Williams, ES assistant administrator, addressed the group made up of representatives from the Local Workforce Investment Areas, Career Center staff and TDLWD District Managers. Training sessions were conducted by Jim Fussell and Melissa Carter (TRA), Robin Wright (ECMATS TAA), and Barbara Boyd (TAA). The trainers did a tremendous job and many positive comments were heard from the attendees.

The Veterans Affairs Committee of NASWA met in Nashville May 17-18. Don Ingram, ES administrator, chaired the productive meeting attended by Veteran Coordinators and Directors from 28 states. Commissioner Neeley welcomed the group to Nashville and provided updates on Tennessee’s very successful programs for veterans. Vaun Shelbourne, director of the National Veterans Training Institute, and Chick Ciccolella, assistant Secretary of USDOL VETS, also attended.  

Employment & Workforce Development
Most of you have heard about our Performance Incentive Award from the federal Government for this year in the amount of $1.7 million at a ranking of third in the nation. This accomplishment would have never been possible without the tremendous support from all of our partners throughout the Career Center System.  We share the award with all partners, at the state and local level, and each of you can pat yourselves on the back for you contributions. We hope to implement programs this year with the additional funding that will advance the entire system.  These initiatives include statewide implementation of Career Readiness Certificates, a new Apprenticeship Program, and initiatives to enhance coordination for our Dislocated Workers, both Trade and non-Trade affected, across our state.

The State Workforce Development Board met May 17-18  at the Maxwell House Hotel.  Prior to the meeting an EEO Conference was held for the Career Center System.  We were honored that the Director of the Civil Rights Center at the United States Department of Labor, Annabelle Lockhart, attended the meeting and provided opening remarks along with Commissioner Neeley.  A special thank you to Linda Sampson and Jewel Crawford for organizing this event.

TOSHA
TOSHA held its semi-annual TOSHA Advisory Council meeting on May 9, 2007.  The meeting was held at the new TOSHA Lab located in the Career Center Building in Murfreesboro.  Following the meeting the council members were given a tour of the lab by Sandra Bennett, lab manager and Jill Butler and Doris Currey, staff chemists.  The tour included a description of the work conducted in the lab and an overview of the equipment used by the chemists. 

Media alerts were issued by TOSHA during the month of May to remind employees and employers of the hazards associated with trenching and excavations and working at elevations.  Fatalities from falls have increased during the first five months of 2007 and if the rate continues 2007 could see an increase in fall fatalities to the highest level in several years.  Excavation and trenching safety is especially important as most accidents involving this type of work, are often fatal.  TOSHA has special emphasis programs in both of these areas. 

Pictured at the EEO Conference held in Nashville are (from left) Reginald Strong, East TN EEO/AA Coordinator; Annabelle T. Lockhart, Director for the USDOL-Civil Rights Center; Commissioner Neeley; Jewel Crawford, Director of TDLWD’s Office of Civil Rights; Linda Sampson, WIA Boards Statewide Coordinator; Eddie Scott, West TN EEO/AA Coordinator; and Minnie Hughley, Lower East/Middle TN EEO/AA Coordinator.

To: Michael Thomason, Appeals
From: Cheryl Atkinson, Office of Workforce Security

“I appreciate Ms. Lynda McDaniel’s participation on the panel of unemployment insurance appeals expert staff who assisted in the annual review of the states’ UI appeals quality self-evaluation that took place March 19-30, 2007, in Washington, D.C. The diligence and expertise of the panelists made it possible for the panel to review approximately 600 cases in only two weeks.

Ms. McDaniel’s participation on the panel contributed greatly to the successful completion of this year’s review, and I hope that she will be available to participate again at some future time. Since this quality review of each state’s UI appellate process is primarily a peer review, it is important to have highly qualified individuals, such as Ms. McDaniel, serve on the panel. We hope that she found this review to be a worthwhile experience.

Thank you for making it possible for Ms. McDaniel to take time to participate on this panel. I recognize that giving up the services of such a key staff member for a two-week period is a significant contribution by your agency.”

To: Greeneville Labor & Workforce Development
From: Al Menendez, Propak Corporate Division

“I want to thank the staff at the Department of Labor and Workforce Development in Greeneville for the great help they provided for our company in staffing our site in Midway. Special thanks to Melinda Sams, Jerry Wilhoit, and Eleanor Newman for their professionalism in this matter, for the use of their facility, for helping interviewing,  and for processing new associates. Again your help is very much appreciated.”

To: Joe Fults, Dislocated Worker Unit/Rapid Response Services
From: Christopher Lee, Myron Bowling Auctioneers, Inc.

“I wanted to take a minute to compliment your division on an outstanding public relations job. As an auctioneer I deal with several employees in the dislocated worker services, and I have found none to be more responsive than your co-worker named David Taft. Mr.
Taft has been more than helpful in taking the time to answer my questions and concerns
in an extremely timely and professional manner, and there is no doubt that this employee is one of several who make your division run as seamlessly as it appears to. Kudos to you and your staff, and thank you for all your help.”

To: June Allen, Gallatin Career Center
From: A client

“Thank you so much for your hospitality last Friday. I always enjoy seeing you and sharing ‘professional dress’ ideas.

My clients welcomed the opportunity to be ‘interviewed.’ As usual, everyone was so kind and generous with his time and feedback to me and to each client. Let’s keep in touch.”

To: Michael Thomason, Appeals
From: Jan Iman, Orscheln Management Co.

“Yesterday and today I have had the opportunity to speak with Phyllis Myatt in your Appeals Tribunal Division.  Ms. Myatt has gone out of her way to be helpful and pleasant.  I have been trying to get a copy of a hearing transcript, and while I was inadvertantly directed to Phyllis, she was the one bright spot in my quest.  Because of her helpfulness, I called her again today to see if she could help me further when I ran into a ‘brick wall' dealing with another department.  Phyllis took it upon herself to contact the department I needed, obtained the information, and faxed it to me – all with a pleasant attitude.

I am sure you are aware of this quality employee, but I wanted to share with you the wonderful experience I had working with Phyllis.  She is a great reflection of your department.”

To: Martin Toth, Chief Boiler Inspector
From: Betty Gill, Tennessee Association of Plumbing Heating Cooling Contractors, Inc.

“On behalf of the Tennessee Association of Plumbing, Heating, Cooling Contractors, Inc. (TAPHCC), thank you! Our evaluations are in, and as I expected, the Martin Toth seminar on boiler installation permits and guidelines for 2007 rules was rated excellent. You educated and informed attendees about the guidelines and boiler installation permits and the applications they needed to complete.

One of the benefits of this job I have appreciated is the friends I have made as executive director of TAPHCC. You are definitely one of those. It has been a pleasure working with you this year.”

To: Lisa Jones, May Lavender, and Patricia Padgett, board of Review
From: A claimant

“This is just a short letter to thank the Board of Review for its recent decision.

As the letter states, my wife and I are on a fixed income and not in the best of health. You all have restored my faith in the system, the state of Tennessee, and the federal government.

We sincerely thank you for your kind consideration and professionalism regarding your decision in this matter.”

To: Michael Dittilo, Labor Standards
From: A client

“I would like to personally thank you for all of your assistance in getting my wages from Regent Dodge. I know it’s your job, and you deserve a “job well done.” I am sure I’m not the only one who is grateful for things you have done. You are a helper to people, and you are greatly appreciated. Once again, thank you for all your help.”

June 4-8
Tennessee Elevator Safety and Training Conference, Gatlinburg

June 14
May state unemployment rate released

June 21
May county unemployment rates released

July 4 (Wednesday)
Independence Day; offices closed

July 19
June state unemployment rate released

July 22-25
30th Annual Tennessee Safety & Health Congress & Exposition
Gaylord Opryland Resort & Convention Center, Nashville

July 26
June county unemployment rates released

August 16
July state unemployment rate released

August 23
June county unemployment rates released

September
Begin TDLWD move to new building in Metro Center